Waiting for the Alpha
by poi922
Summary: Switching loyalties is not always easy; he's been waiting for his Alpha, but this one will do nicely… (Canon. S2-01,02 Character study. POV Bear. Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Such a pity.)
1. Chapter 1

He pulls into the room and resists his instinct to fight even harder against the tension on the collar, but only because it earned him a kick in the ribs the last time he did that. And he's a quick learner. The human on the other end of the leash has no understanding of canine body language, oblivious to an eminent danger of being bitten. But though it's been a while since Alpha Handler left, his strict training is still in force. Learned behaviors. Rules.

And the first rule is…don't harm the human holding your line, even if they kick you.

It's difficult to follow directions from these men. The humans now taking control are all mere pretenders, posturing for position. And they only know how to dish out negative reinforcements. Not like Alpha Handler, who was a real Leader and had taught him all he knew. Alpha Handler would always make sure he understood the meaning of a command before expecting compliance.

These humans only shout, jerk his collar, and kick.

"_See Butcher here is a military dog…"_

He's been brought in to face new people, two human males in a high state of tension. Not members of this current pack, the one he's been forced to be part of lately. He hasn't fully assimilated into this pack as there doesn't seem to be any specific Leader, or at least no one who has earned his loyalty. Besides, his Alpha Handler may be back, and he doesn't switch his allegiance that quickly. And certainly not to humans such as these!

In this group, the Light Hair gives the commands, the directions the others follow…but they follow out of fear, not respect.

Light Hair has the line now and with some confusing hand signals and harsh words seems to want him to alert. No problem! He's very thirsty and is getting more so by the minute; it's put his temper on edge. He barks, throwing in some growls for good measure to relieve his own stress, because all this activity is just making him more agitated. More thirsty.

Alpha Handler understood that. Stressful activities earned him long soothing strokes helping him control his drive. And there was always a full bowl of water available to him. But these humans seem ignorant of the fact that anxiety stress panting causes thirst. And he'd been panting a lot over the last several days!

And hunger? When was the last time his stomach had been full? A long time…ever since Alpha Handler left. A piece of left over hotdog last night and that sweet doughy thing this morning did not make a full meal!

"_The guy that had him didn't have our money either, so he paid with his dog…and his balls."_

He's barked, growled and it evidently is the correct response. Good Boy to him for reading Light Hair's body language correctly, because this human certainly doesn't know the proper commands! He inhales the odors around him, concentrating on the new ones to the pack. Arid fear comes off the two on the chairs, along with the scent of blood. More terror from the little man than from the bigger human, but still enough to cause him to echo concern.

He barks, pants some more, and his thirst worsens as Light Hair continues to communicate with the new comers, all the while brandishing a metal tool.

"_Now, I'm gotta to leave some for Titus, but I'm sure he won't mind if I take a head start."_

The sound of the door banging open has his hackles rising. More humans enter, all puffed up with hostility, though not one of them is a Leader and so really have no right to come barging forward like this. If Alpha Handler were here, these interlopers would certainly not have dared such a violent intrusion into the pack. And they are pushing another of their kind in front of them. One who is resisting, but only weakly.

He sniffs the wave of new scents brought in with the opening of the door. Interesting…

"_Oh, it looks like Butcher is going to eat well tonight."_

He savors the air several more times, focusing on one man. Tension and posturing is emanating from the aggressors, but not this one. The tall one is much more in control, though concealing it. There is no fear odor, no alarm. That meek attitude and deceiving body language is at odds with other, more reliable indictors…like anger. So why does this human allow the others to dominate like that? They've even attacked and the tall one didn't fight back, though the anger vibe is increasing. This is confusing…

Light Hair directs some harsh words to him again. Bark? Yes, that is evidently what he wants. So he barks, but his heart is not in it. He is merely trying to intimidate the tall one who is now at eye level, and it doesn't work. Not that he really expected it to…this man is a true Leader. And has made unapologetic eye contact with him.

He averts his gaze in respect to the Alphas higher status.

"_Foei...Stil...Af Liggen…!"_

Now that's more like it! Finally some actionable commands he understands. He immediately goes silent and stills, indicating his willingness to follow. Another command and he drops to the floor, tucking his hind legs under him for a quick release if necessary. He pricks his ears to catch more sound, closes his mouth and focuses on the kneeling human, waiting for the next command.

Switching loyalties is not always easy; he's been waiting for his Alpha, but this one will do nicely…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_As with my other animal centric stories, I am taking some literary liberty, though attempting to stay as true to nature as possible. Obviously, a dog thinks differently than a human, and certainly not in our language! They also rely far more on body language for communications than humans ever do. _

_A well trained protection/police/military dog's desire to work willingly for its handler is in direct correlation to its trust and respect for that person. It's a partnership: the animal will follow its Leader, but only if it trusts that Leader to protect it, and the pack__. _

"_Butcher" was willing to work for Reese when he saw that the 'tall man' showed no fear and knew the proper commands. At that point learned behaviors took over, and the Alpha Handler position opened to a new candidate. _

_Of course it takes time (weeks to months) for such a dog to switch loyalties completely, but I hope Bear becomes a permanent part of the S2 story line!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: ** What happened further in that room with the Aryan mob…and afterward? (By request: fill-in scenes; follows the story "Waiting for the Alpha"; based on Episode 2.01 & 2.02; POV Bear)

"_Foei...Stil...Af Liggen…!"_

_He immediately goes silent and stills, indicating his willingness to follow. Another command and he drops to the floor, tucking his hind legs under him for a quick release if necessary._

* * *

The tension in the room is stifling; he can smell confusion and human fear from all corners, so overwhelming it's difficult to separate individual scents. Except that from the Tall Man still kneeling before him; this human is not fearful, just controlled and primed to fight.

Light Hair is puzzled, but anger is increasing as the human moves aggressively forward to cuff the Tall Man again. He jumps up ready to strike, but Light Hair still holds the leash and prior learned behavior gives the human immunity to any undirected action toward a handler. Instinctively he knows the Tall Man outranks every human in the room, so shouldn't his first move be to protect the Alpha?

Confusion and lack of clear direction delay his movement. He whines and barks his confusion…

Thankfully his conflict is ended quickly as his required action is made clear: the Alpha gives a command he has practiced many times and understands perfectly.

_Stellen…! _

And he knows what to do. He moves decisively to counteract Light Hair's next assault with a speed and agility born of many hours on the training field. Pushing off his hind legs, he grabs the human by the forearm, and braces his front paws on the man's fabric covered thighs. He ignores the resultant shriek and sudden shouts as the metal weapon drops to the floor, and focuses only on immobilizing the yelling man to allow the Alpha to take command of this unruly pack.

Pandemonium explodes around him. Even the two bound to the chairs have now added to the uproar with muffled shouts, the smaller one tipping over the chair and falling to the floor, trussed up much like the sausage his old Handler used feed him. But he pays no attention to the chaos around him, concentrating on holding Light Hair in place while the human attempts to dislodge him with violent arm swings and body blows.

One of those swings sweeps him off his feet entirely and while airborne he catches a glimpse of the Alpha disciplining the remaining pack members. He recognizes the sound of gun shots, the ensuing explosive powder scent now overwhelming all else. And then…the aggressors lay on the floor, submissive and unmoving. Only Light Hair is still standing – barely – continuing to rain blows on his head and neck.

But he is so energized now that pain barely registers…

"_Los…!" _

At the Alpha's command, he instantly releases, and steps back, his eyes focused on Light Hair. If the human makes one aggressive move toward the Alpha, he will grab him again! For good measure, he directs several sharp barks at the now groaning man, warning of that possible consequence.

But it's unnecessary. Alpha reaches forward, grabs Light Hair and swiftly pivots the male around. Grasping the other human by the neck and tail, the Tall Man throws the would-be handler against the window. Glass shatters and Light Hair takes flight to land outside the building.

Outstanding!

He pants contentedly. This is worth the thirst. The exercise has drained much of his anxiety and drive and he calmly sits at the Alpha's side, waiting expectantly for the next command.

But the Tall Man ignores him, and instead proceeds to release the two humans still confined to the chairs. After a loud discussion, the abbreviated group exits the building, leaving him sitting among the battered and moaning members of the defeated pack.

He walks to around the room, leash still trailing behind him. Stay or go? The Alpha gave no indication that he would be welcome in the new group, so what does he do now? He doesn't really want to stay in this particular dysfunctional pack, and certainly not under the command of a weak leader who was just roundly defeated. But he's never been without a handler to give him direction…

Then he hears it! A piercing whistle…the human equivalent of a welcome bark. He wheels around and races for the door, toward the man who has proven to be a true Alpha. He prances happily at the Tall Man's side, all the way to the vehicle.

And oh, this is fine! Almost always when riding in a moving vehicle he is confined to a crate. Not a bad place to be; it's safe, secure…like a small den. But being able to sit with the humans and look out the windows…that is special! The Tall Man is controlling the vehicle, and though the smaller man in the front seems to have lost some of his fear, anxiety scent still fills the air. He looks at the humans in turn. Perhaps the angst is directed more at the Alpha than at him…

The Alpha rubs his ears while speaking to Small Man. He wants to sit in the front next to the Alpha, but when he attempts move between the seats to do so, he is given the command to move back: _"Terug!"_

Too bad. It would be fun to get closer to the big window. Lots to see. And everything moves by so fast!

Right now Small Man occupies the favored spot. He leans between the seats and yawns, in the process shows off his teeth. He takes satisfaction in the smaller human shrinking away from him. Next time, that seat will be _his_ spot.

...

_(Next Morning….)_

After a night spent resting with his Alpha nearby, he has been handed over to the Alpha's shorter, muscular assistant, who takes him to another building full of uniformed people. Various humans offer him treats, mostly made of dough and sugar, each of them giving him a pat or rub.

Amazing.

Not one of the humans here seems to fear him. That's a new experience…

Alpha's Assistant even tries to give some him commands but the strange sounds are unrecognizable, garbled. It seems Assistant doesn't understand the sounds either. He tries to help by deliberately offering a different performance each time a command is given; perhaps one of them will be the right action paired with the correct command! Assistant soon tires of the game and turns to play with the machine on the desk.

He curls up under a table to take a nap, patiently resuming his wait for Alpha's return.

...

_(Later that day…)_

Now he's alone again. In a big house. Funny house. Not that he has much experience with different human houses…more with different kennels. But this doesn't look like the house of his former Handler. That one smelled of human sweat and spoiled food. This one smells of old books…shelves and shelves, rows and rows of books.

He's familiar with books; his old Handler had several in the house, though they were larger and not so thick. He was disciplined more than once for investigating them, liking the feel of the slick paper on his tongue. But there were never this many…and these all smell different, each of them.

Many humans have touched these books, most of them overlaid with multiple odors of every kind. He touches his nose to one on a lower shelf…musty, stale smoke. And another one...old, aged paper. And bug juice. The third one has been handled recently, by the same human whose odor he detects in other areas of the house. He carefully pulls the book off the shelf, takes it to the main room, and drops to the floor with it.

...

So bored now. And this paper holds some interesting scents. Wonder how it tastes...like the books in old Handler's house…or that funny paper in the car?

Time passes and as he lazily chews on the book bindings, he suddenly hears sounds in the hall. His nose quickly informs him the Alpha is back! And has someone with him… He picks up the chew book and rushes to the entry way.

"_Harold, meet Bear..."_

He doesn't know what is being said, but is sure it's admiring. Humans usually admire him…at least the ones that are not afraid of him.

"_Bear… laat af vallen!"_

He drops the book at the feet of the new human and gives them both his best doggie smile.

All is well.

His Alpha is back.


	3. Chapter 3

Note: This is the final chapter in Bears introduction to the Dynamic Duo, a chapter the result of a review suggesting Bear's POV of Harold Finch. (Hope this works for you Ani-maniac494… )

* * *

"_I see it's sleeping here now…"_  
"_You'll like Bear. He's friendly."_

_..._

The Alpha has left again to go hunting, and now he's all alone with the Tall Man's friend in the Big House. A smaller human he labels Glasses Man.

Strange little man…!

He really hasn't had to get very close to study this man's scent; it's all over the big house and especially strong near the center, near the desk where the human sits playing with all those black boxes. Not an unpleasant smell - though of course nothing to compare with the special odor of his Alpha!

Glasses Man's scent is more thick cloth and books and another scent he recognizes from his prior handler, who often left home with that smell after spraying himself with something out of a bottle. Same flavor…like wet forest.

There's a bed here for him now, given especially to him by the Alpha. Nice bed, just big enough for him to lie down on without parts of his body sprawling on the floor. He lays there watching the little man, and though the bed is located far away from desk area, he can still pick up on a variety of conflicting emotions from the smaller human. Rather strange…some anger, a little fear, and a lot of anxiety.

The little man is not pleased to have him here and because of that he will behave cautiously in the human's presence for a while. But he's never been bashful or a reserved…has never had to be: he's a Good Boy, and when humans don't fear him, they admire him, praise him, and rub his ears.

So what is it then…is Glasses Man _afraid_ him?

Under other circumstances he would simply ignore any reaction until that person came to realize just how wonderful a dog he is. But the Alpha seems attached to Glasses Man and even gave the command to "protect" before leaving. So he has an important job now: stay close and keep this small man safe for the Alpha!

Now how to do that if the human doesn't want him near? Strange little man…!

Alpha would want him to find a way to do his job properly. He lies on the bed, eyes on the man sitting a room length away from him. So what do humans like to do with dogs?

Teach commands.  
Go on walks.  
Ride in trucks.  
Give baths.

And…play fetch! Yes!

He leaps from the bed and goes on the search for the tennis ball he's carefully hidden behind file cabinet. It's fairly new, though he's been chewing it off and on to make it more palatable. No ball should be clean or smell fresh and this one is almost the way he likes it…some scratches, a few bare patches, and a little slippery.

He will use his special toy to get closer to the human…

Approaching the desk he carefully places the ball on one corner. Just so. No whining, no jumping, just gently let the ball sit where the human can see it… He backs off and waits for a response, eyes on Glasses Man. It may take a while, but he's had a lot of experience waiting on humans; they tend to be somewhat slow to react.

Glasses Man finally looks at the ball, wraps a soft paper around it, then positions it on the floor just as gently and precisely as it was laid on the desk.

Well. Not quite what he intended, but it's a start. Perhaps Glasses Man doesn't understand this game. He picks up the ball again and returns it to the edge of the desk. This time he moves back to his bed, still keeping his attention on the human.

"_Any luck with that plate, Finch?"_  
"_No! This…distraction…you've adopted keeps interrupting my work!"_

Glasses Man wraps the ball and places it on the floor again.

He stays on the bed, watching closely. Maybe this a new game?  
Instead of fetching a thrown ball, is he supposed to pick it up from the floor and keep putting it back on the desk? The small man has said nothing directly to him, nothing that would indicate that these actions are desired or not. Is he supposed to guess the correct behavior?

Strange little man…!

He leaves his bed and once more repeats the process: picks up the ball and gently places it on the desk. Evidently with a little more force this time, because ball rolls toward the center, toward the black box that holds Glasses Man's attention. He backs off again and waits.

This time the small man picks up the ball without the soft paper and with a strange expression holds it briefly, no doubt disliking the feel of the slippery toy. Humans never have any appreciation for a ball that's chewed just right…with some slobber on it! It's just one of their failings…

Then Glasses Man appears to at last understand what is supposed to be done: the ball is thrown.

Finally!

Bounding after the ball, his feet skid on the smooth floor and he almost runs into the wall. But he's got the toy now and proudly brings it back.  
See Glasses Man?  
This is how the game is played!  
Now it's your turn again!

"_What was that noise, Finch?"_  
"_What noise? I didn't hear anything."_

The little man seems more relaxed. Of course! A dog knows best and he knew if he could just get the human engaged in this fun game, everything would be better and the little man would realize what a good dog he has attending him. And stop being afraid.

He brings back the ball every time it's thrown, aware the human is now smiling at his antics. He runs into the wall deliberately, stumbles a few times, and purposefully misses an easy catch, just to give the human some pleasure. And maybe a little because he likes the attention. But the Alpha would approve…

Eventually the little man wearies of the game. Humans always do, being somewhat weaker and not so motivated by a ball. But that's all right too, because now Glasses Man is pulling the bed closer to the desk. So…mission accomplished! He has managed to get close to the human so can better protect him.

Good Boy to him! The Alpha will be proud of way he is doing this job…!

...

He's put the ball back into the hidey-hole behind the file cabinet, taken several naps, walked around the big house, and catalogued the scents on all the lower book shelves. He even came running back to his bed when the small man whistled, just to show the human how he could be trusted.

It's afternoon now and the day has dragged on…boring…nothing to do. He sighs heavily, and then again. Maybe the human will get the hint? With his head on the bed, he continues to observe Glasses Man.

Strange little man…but maybe not so much anymore.

"_Would you like to go for a walk? Let's get your leash."_

Walk?  
That's a word he knows well…and yes, he would like to go out! He'd already retrieved the leash and now picks it up from his bed to show Glasses Man he is ready to go. But the little man is still talking to him.

"_I suppose you'll want some treats…"_

The human walks to the file cabinet, pulls out a small container…and then stops. There is something there that has caught the human's attention, a scrap of paper? The man becomes increasingly more nervous. Whatever Glasses Man is staring at, it fills him with fear. The little man touches an ear, and faint sounds leak into the air, but with no distinct syllables and nothing a dog could recognize.

"_I need you to come keep an eye on Sophia…"_  
"_Not a problem. I'll be there shortly."_

What does this mean?  
Are we not going for a walk then?  
He dances impatiently in front of the human, until the little man finally attaches the leash, though somewhat hesitantly.

Then Glasses Man stands very still.  
"_So…we'll…just go outside…"_

Yes! Finally on the way!  
He walks quietly next to his companion, shortening his stride to match the small mans lurching gait and careful not to surge ahead of the human's knee, just as he's been taught. He's happy to be out of the big house, outside where there is more activity and movement and scents to savor. But the one scent that seems to overpower all is coming from the man beside him: anxiety.  
Why is the little man still afraid?  
He will protect the human…that's his job!

They cross the street with other people hurrying ahead, leaving them behind.

Wait!  
What are you doing Glasses Man?  
This is not a place to stop!  
There are big cars going by; it's not a place for dog or human.  
This part of the street belongs to the metal monsters!

But Glasses Man seems stuck, turning slowly in circles as though confused as to which direction to go. So he sits, an automatic response, flinching as the metal monsters pass by. The scent of fear is now almost a visible cloud that surrounds them both.

But this is wrong!  
He must protect the little man for the Alpha…and stands up again to take control of the situation.  
This way human..!  
To the side of the street..hurry, hurry, hurry…!

He pulls the little man along and they race back to the big house…or at least as fast as the impaired human can race. The scent of fear surrounding the human is now very strong, and he can literally see sweat beads dotting on the forehead of Glasses Man.

He pulls the little man past the gate, barely stopping to allow the human to unclip the leash. At last in the hallway, Glasses Man stands very still and talks into the air, panic an arid flavor all around.

"_Mr. Reese, I seem to be having a complication. I won't be able to meet you."_  
"_No problem Harold. I'll call Fusco…"_

It's very confusing, but all is well now. They are back in the Big House and he has fulfilled his duty: the human is still safe! He makes his way back to the bed and sighs contently.

Good Boy to him!

...

Another nap and the rest of the day passes quickly while Glasses Man continues to talk to the air and plays with the black box on the desk. The human gives him his dinner and seems to be somewhat calmer, not so nervous.

Then the gate opens and that wonderful scent drifts over to him. He leaps up. The Alpha is back!

He runs to the gate with a yelp, just in time to see the Tall Man step into the hallway, and without any thought to past training, launches himself at the human, bringing him down to the floor. Definitely not the acceptable protocol for greeting a Leader…but all instinct concerning proper etiquette behavior is completely overwhelmed with the relief that his new pack is still intact!

He apologizes for his impulsiveness by submissively licking the Alphas chin, trying hard not to step on the human's vulnerable underside. Thankfully the human does not seem angry or even disprove these actions…in fact, the Tall Man is smiling and giving him an ear rub. He is ecstatic! His Alpha is back and will now see how fine a job he has done in protecting the little man.

Good Boy to him!

...

He listens with pleasure to his Alphas voice, his tail turning happy circles…

"_It's time we went for that beer." _  
"_I need to wrap things up here."_  
"_Things here can wait…"_

This is wonderful!  
They are _all_ going for a walk: he, the Alpha, and Glasses Man!  
Obviously the Alpha has brought him along so they can work together, just like in his former job. With Glasses Man walking between them they will work in partnership to protect the smaller man…a well matched team with a purpose.

"_Does it have to be beer?"_

He's been fortunate to be welcomed into this pack, one with a strong Leader…and he's pleased his skills are once more being acknowledged and put to good use. Prancing next to the two humans as his Alpha smiles, then chuckles, he knows all is truly well. His wait is over…

Good Boy to him!


End file.
